Oxy-oil burner

ABSTRACT

A burner having a nozzle end for producing a flame by combustion of oil and an oxidizing fluid. The burner nozzle contains a plurality of mixing ports wherein the oil and oxidizing fluid are combined to effect atomization of the oil and mixing of the oil and oxidizing fluid. Control of the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the oxidizing fluid passage to the cross-sectional area of the oil passage and the length-to-diameter ratio of the mixing ports assure combustion at or inwardly of the mouth of the ports in order to minimize operating noise level of the burner. Further features of the burner include fluid cooling means for rapidly replacing the nozzle end of the burner.

United States Patent Miller Oct. 28, 1975 OXY-OIL BURNER Primary E.\'aminerJohn J. Camby [75] Inventor: Keith A. Miller, Allentown, Pa. Assistant Examiner-Henry Yuen Attorney, Agent, or Firm-James C. S1mmons; Barry [73] Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Moyerman Allentown, Pa.

[2]] Appl' 463010 A burner having a nozzle end for producing a flame by combustion of oil and an oxidizing fluid. The burner [52] US. Cl. 431/354; 239/ 1323; 239/4245 nozzle contains a plurality of mixing ports wherein the [51] Int. Cl. B05B 15/00; F23D 15/02 Oil and i izing fl i r mbined to ff miza- [58] Field of Search 239/1321, 132.3, 424, n f h oil n mixing f h oil and oxi izing fl id. 239/425, 424,5, 132; 431/354 Control of the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the oxidizing fluid passage to the crosssectional area of [56] References Cit d the oil passage and the lengthto-diameter ratio of the UNITED STATES PATENTS mixing ports assure combustion at or inwardly of the mouth of the ports in order to minimize operating gg et noise level of the burner. Further features of the 3:644zo76 2/1972 239/1323 burner include fluid cooling means for rapidly replac- 3,680,785 8/1972 Miller 239/1323 ing the nozzle end of the burner- 3,685,740 8 1972 Sh h d 239 132.3

/ ep er I 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 I 1 l I I I 1' 1 92 l US. Patent Oct.28,1975 SheetlofZ 3.915,626

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OXY-OIL BURNER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to an oxy-oil burner of the type used in melting vessels for melting primary metals and nonmetallic materials, such as glass and ceramics. Such burners are commonly employed to melt large volumes of a metallurgical material, such as copper or copper-bearing ore, that is to be subsequently refined. The burners are normally placed in the wall or in the roof of a furnace and employ an oxy-oil mixture that is combusted and directed at the metals being heated.

Oxy-oil burners that have found acceptance in the metallurgical industry are shown in US. Pat. Nos. 3,224,679, 3,644,076, and 3,663,153. These patents show generally a single orifice burner wherein an oxidizing fluid, e.g oxygen, is combined with a hydrocarbon liquid, e.g. oil, to produce a flame. The flame is directed outwardly of the burner and towards the articles to be heated. The burners are characterized in that the mixing of the oxidizing fluid and the oil is accomplished by a bluff body or doorknob-type affair at the discharge end of the burner to assure that atomization of the oil and mixing of the oil and oxygen take place. Burners of this type generally have significant cooling problems because of the projecting bluff body and tend to operate at high noise levels and provide only a limited size of flame envelope.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an oxy-oil burner that can produce melting temperatures for primary metal refining vessels using oil and an oxidizing fluid to provide a flame. The burners according to the present invention are fluid cooled and provided with a plurality of mixing ports on the outward end of the burner nozzle to significantly decrease the operating noise level of the burners. The mixing ports together with a novel method of introducing the oil to the ports provide for rapid atomization of the oil and mixing of the oil and oxidizing fluid, with the net effect being to help retain the base of the flame front at or inwardly of the mouth of the ports, and, thus the flame appears to be on the front surface of the nozzle to minimize operating noise levels. Burners according to the present invention are readily fabricated and can be made in two sections with a quick-change capability so that the nozzle end can be replaced.

Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to I provide an improved oxy-oil burner.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an oxy-oil burner for primary melting that operates at significantly reduced noise levels.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a burner of the oxy-oil type that is fluid cooled so that it can survive its operating environment.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a metallurgical burner of the oxy-oil type that is fluid cooled and it can be quickly disassembled to replace the nozzle end thereof.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an oxy-oil burner containing a nozzle end with means for assuring intimate mixing of the oxygen and the oil by breaking up the oil and intimately mixing the oil with the oxygen to assure combustion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a burner 10 having a two-piece housing 12 and 14. The housing sections 12-14 are secured together by a quick-disconnect coupling 16 such as manufactured and sold under the trademark VICTAULIC by the Victaulic Company of America. Such couplings 16 are well known in the industry and which lock the two sections 12-14 together by means of a pair of circumferential grooves 18 and 20 disposed in housing sections 12-l4. As an integral part of the coupling, there is a gasket or sealing member 22 to prevent fluid leaks from the burner.

The upper section 12 of the burner 10 has an end cap 24 affixed thereto as by a circumferential weld 26. The cap 24 contains a central opening 28 for receiving a longitudinal conduit 30, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. A recess on surface 28 contains an O-ring-type sealing member 32 to insure fluidtight sealing of the cap 24 to the conduit 30. Cap 24 has attached thereto a fitting 34, such as an elbow, which fitting is suitable for receiving a threaded connection as by threads 36.

Housing section 12 contains a large circular opening 38 over which is fastened a coupling 40 for receiving a mating threaded fluid conduit not shown. Coupling 40 contains suitable threads 42 and can be flange welded to housing section 12 as by circumferential weld 44.

Housing section 12 of burner 10, also called the service end of the burner 10, includes a second smaller diameter aperture 46. Aperture 46 has in communication outwardly of the housing a coupling 48 which coupling has a series of threads 50 for receiving a fluid conduit not shown. Coupling 48 can be flange welded to housing section 12 as by a circumferential weld 52.

Housing section 14 contains an aperture 54 and a suitable mating coupling 56. Coupling 56 has a series of threads 58 for receiving a fluid conduit and can be flange welded to housing section 14 as by weld 60. Disposed inwardly from housing section 14 and concentrically thereto is an annular sleeve 62. The annular sleeve 62 is spaced apart at the service end of the housing from the housing section 14 by a spacer ring member 64; ring member 64 is regidly affixed to housing section 12. Spacer ring 64 contains an annular groove facing sleeve 62, the annular groove containing a suitable sealing member such as O-ring 66. The spacer ring 64 and O-ring seal 66 provide means by which the burner can be readily disassembled and also assures a fluidtight seal between the annulus defined by the sleeve 62 and housing section 14 at the service end of the burner. Near the service end of the burner, a plurality of spacers 68 position the central conduit 30 and hold it rigidly in place.

The forward end of housing section 14 of burner has a nozzle 70. The nozzle 70 is rigidly fixed to housing 14 and sleeve 62 as by circumferential welds 72, 74 respectively and helps space sleeve 62 from the housing section 14 at the nozzle end of the burner. As shown in FIG. 3, the nozzle 70 has a central chamber 76 which chamber communicates with the projecting end of conduit 30. Nozzle 70 includes a plurality of cylindrical ports 78 and between the ports 78 radial passages 80. The radial passages 80 are made to communicate with the annulus defined by the outer surface of sleeve 62 and the inner surface of housing section 14 thereby defining a continuous passage between conduit 30, nozzle 70, the water jacket defined by the sleeve, and housing (62-14 respectively), and coupling 56.

The nozzle ports 78 open on the tapered conical portion 81 of the face (81-82) of the nozzle 70, extending inwardly-to the interior of the burner 10 which interior is a torus shaped (cross-section) passage extending the length of the burner and defined by the sleeve 62 and the conduit 30. The end of the port 78 opening onto surface 81 is generally referred to as the mouth of the port. Mounted at the inward surface 84 of nozzle 70 is an oil ring 86. The oil ring 86 contains a plurality of generally rectangular apertures 88 with one aperture for each port. The apertures 88, as shown in FIG. 4, are placed so that the center line of the long dimension of aperture 88 is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the port 78. The placement of the ring 86 at the inward end of ports 78 defines two arcuate sections 90-90 that communicate with the interior passage of the burner.

The oil ring 86 has a central hollow portion 92 and is closed by a cap 94 in the shape of a flat washer. Cap 94 contains a pair of conduits 96, 98 which are fastened to the cap 94 and provide access to the interior 92 of the ring 86. Conduits 96, 98 are connected to an adaptor such as the legs of a T-joint 100. The depending leg of T-joint 100 is fixed to conduit 102 which in turn is connected to a length of flexible hose 104 by coupling 106, the hose in turn through a suitable removable coupling 108 is affixed to a short length of conduit 110, conduit 110 projecting into coupling 48 and being sealed to housing section 12 by circumferential weld 112. Flexible hose 104 is included so that the burner can be readily taken apart for service.

The mixing ports 78 generally have a length-todiameter ratio of between 0.4 to 1.4. This ratio was established and is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,785 owned by the Assignee of the present invention and filed in the name of the present Applicant and when observed for an oxy-fuel, e.g. natural gas burner, resulted in reduced operating noise level. This same technique used in an oxy-oil burner results in helping to anchor the flame front to the face (81-82) of nozzle 70 when the burner is in operation and thus minimizing the operating noise level of the oxy-oil burner. The ratio of the cross-sectional area (A of the oxidizing fluid passage (90-90) to the cross-sectional area (A of the oil fluid passage 88 (FIG. 4) should be between 18 and 37 in order to achieve proper mixing of the oil and oxygen and further help to minimize operating noise levels of the burner. In practice, a burner constructed with a slot 0.025 inches wide having a ratio of 33.4 was found to operate efficiently at a reduced noise level. The configuration of oil passage and port shown in FIG. 4 provide a means by which the oxidizing fluid can aid in atomizing (breaking up) the oil and provide for adequate mixing of the oil and oxidizing fluid because the oil discharges in a fan-shaped pattern which aids in the intimate mixing of the oil and oxidizing fluid. The arrangement shown provides for high pressure oxidizing fluid, e.g. oxygen, operating at velocity on either side of the oil slot 88 so that the oxygen and oil are intimately mixed, thus providing more efficient combustion. Various A (cross-sectional area of the oxidizing fluid passage) to A, (cross-sectional area of the oil passage) were investigated in the range of 6.15 to 36.9 representing oil apertures from 0.01 to 0.06 in width. Below 0.01, the oil tends to clog the slot and harden when the burner is not in service, thus making it necessary to clean the burner between each successive use. By observing the flame, it was decided that the best combination of flame characteristics, melting time, heating time, and radiation were achieved when the ADI/A ratio was between 18 and 37.

In operation, elbow 34 is connected to a source of coolant such as water. Coupling 56 is connected to a hose or other device for removing the fluid coolant and disposing thereof or causing the same to be cooled and recirculated. As is apparent from FIG. 1, the fluid coolant entering adapter 34 flows down to conduit 30 through passages in nozzle 70 then into the annulus defined by sleeve 62 and housing 14 and outwardly of the burner 10 through coupling 56.

Coupling 48 is connected to a source of liquid hydrocarbon, such as oil under pressure, and the oil is conducted from coupling 48 through conduit through flexible conduit 104 down through conduit 102 to the interior of ring 86 and outwardly through slots (fuel apertures) 88 into the ports 78. Coupling 40 is connected to a source of oxidizing fluid under pressure such as oxygen and the oxidizing fluid is conducted down the burner through the passage defined by the inner surface of sleeve 62 and the outer surface of conduit 30, past ring 86 into the ports 78. As explained before, the high pressure flowing oxygen causes mixing and atomization of the oil in the ports 78 so that combustion takes place at or inwardly of the mouth of ports 78 of nozzle 70. Maintaining the base of the flame front at or inwardly of the outer end of mixing cups 78 of nozzle 70 significantly reduces the operating noise level of the burner because the flame front has no aerial path between it and the face (81-82) of the burner nozzle 70.

Another method of constructing the burner would be to provide the oil slots 88 along a diameter defined by the midpoint of the ring 86. This construction is more difficult to achieve and adds to the cost of the burner.

As is known, an oil burner has advantages in that the available radiation is much greater than from an oxyfuel (natural gas) burner because of the carbon particles present in the flame. With a bright luminous flame, there is more heat available to be directed at the furnace walls of the furnace charge.

It would also be within the scope of the invention to use a plurality of drilled holes in place of slot 88 or a ring orifice sized and shaped to discharge oil in an expanding pattern.

Having thus described my invention, what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An oxy-oil burner comprising in combination:

a generally cylindrical elongated housing having a covered service end and a nozzle end;

a fluid cooling jacket including inlet and outlet means attached to the housing for continuously cooling a major portion of the housing when the burner is in service;

a nozzle on the nozzle end of the housing containing a plurality of generally cylindrical ports extending inwardly from the outer surface of the nozzle and communicating with an internal passage defined by the inside of the housing;

means for introducing an oxidizing fluid into the internal passage in the housing;

means for admitting oil to the inward end of said ports communicating with the internal passage in the housing, said means comprising a ring-shaped member containing a plurality of oil discharge ports positioned on the center line of each of the ports so that oxidizing fluid can flow around the oil to vaporize the oil and mix with the oil for combusiton at the outer surface of said nozzle; and

fluid tight passages in said nozzle between said ports and communicating with the fluid cooling jacket for cooling the nozzle with the cooling fluid used in the burner housing.

2. A burner according to claim 1 wherein the ports have a generally rectangular shape and are positioned on and perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the port.

3. A burner according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of the cross-sectional area of oxidizing fluid passage to the cross-sectional area of the fuel passage as measured at the inward end of each port is between 18 and 37.

4. A burner according to claim 1 wherein the cooling fluid is admitted inside said housing through a central conduit to the nozzle and is conducted through a plurality of passages across the face of the nozzle to the sides thereof where it enters the housing cooling jacket and is conducted along the housing to a discharge conduit.

S. A burner according to claim 1 wherein the housing is made in fluidtight removable sections for ready replacement of the nozzle and oil ring.

6. An oxy-oil burner comprising in combination:

a generally cylindrical housing having a covered service end and a nozzle end;

a nozzle on the nozzle end of the housing containing a plurality of generally cylindrical ports extending inwardly from the outer surface of the nozzle and communicating with the interior of the housing;

a central fluid conduit extending through the covered service end to the nozzle and communicating with a plurality of passages across the face of the nozzle, the nozzle passages further communicating with a fluid cooling jacket constructed to conduct a cooling fluid down the central fluid conduit across the face of the nozzle to the fluid cooling jacket and then along a substantial length of the housing;

means for admitting cooling fluid to the central conduit and removing fluid from the housing jacket;

means for admitting an oxidizing fluid into the housa generally hollow ring-shaped] member affixed to the nozzle and defining a pair of open arcuate sections at the inward end of each port;

a plurality of slots in the ring so constructed and arranged to center each slot along the longitudinal axis of each port;

a fuel conduit for conducting oil from the service end of the burner to the inside of the ring and outwardly of the ring through the slots; whereby in service the oxidizing fluid surrounds the oil to atomize and mix with the oil for combustion at the outer nozzle face.

7. A burner according to claim 6 wherein the ratio of the cross-sectional area of oxidizing fluid passage to the replacement of the nozzle and oil ring. 

1. An oxy-oil burner comprising in combination: a generally cylindrical elongated housing having a covered service end and a nozzle end; a fluid cooling jacket including inlet and outlet means attached to the housing for continuously cooling a major portion of the housing when the burner is in service; a nozzle on the nozzle end of the housing containing a plurality of generally cylindrical ports extending inwardly from the outer surface of the nozzle and communicating with an internal passage defined by the inside of the housing; means for introducing an oxidizing fluid into the internal passage in the housing; means for admitting oil to the inward end of said ports communicating with the internal passage in the housing, said means comprising a ring-shaped member containing a plurality of oil discharge ports positioned on the center line of each of the ports so that oxidizing fluid can flow around the oil to vaporize the oil and mix with the oil for combustion at the outer surface of said nozzle; and fluid tight passages in said nozzle between said ports and communicating with the fluid cOoling jacket for cooling the nozzle with the cooling fluid used in the burner housing.
 2. A burner according to claim 1 wherin the ports have a generally rectangular shape and are positioned on and perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the port.
 3. A burner according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of the cross-sectional area of oxidizing fluid passage to the cross-sectional area of the fuel passage as measured at the inward end of each port is between 18 and
 37. 4. A burner according to claim 1 wherein the cooling fluid is admitted inside said housing through a central conduit to the nozzle and is conducted through a plurality of passages across the face of the nozzle to the sides thereof where it enters the housing cooling jacket and is conducted along the housing to a discharge conduit.
 5. A burner according to claim 1 wherein the housing is made in fluidtight removable sections for ready replacement of the nozzle and oil ring.
 6. An oxy-oil burner comprising in combination: a generally cylindrical housing having a covered service end and a nozzle end; a nozzle on the nozzle end of the housing containing a plurality of generally cylindrical ports extending inwardly from the outer surface of the nozzle and communicating with the interior of the housing; a central fluid conduit extending through the covered service end to the nozzle and communicating with a plurality of passages across the face of the nozzle, the nozzle passages further communicating with a fluid cooling jacket constructed to conduct a cooling fluid down the central fluid conduit across the face of the nozzle to the fluid cooling jacket and then along a substantial length of the housing; means for admitting cooling fluid to the central conduit and removing fluid from the housing jacket; means for admitting an oxidizing fluid into the housing; a generally hollow ring-shaped member affixed to the nozzle and defining a pair of open arcuate sections at the inward end of each port; a plurality of slots in the ring so constructed and arranged to center each slot along the longitudinal axis of each port; a fuel conduit for conducting oil from the service end of the burner to the inside of the ring and outwardly of the ring through the slots; whereby in service the oxidizing fluid surrounds the oil to atomize and mix with the oil for combustion at the outer nozzle face.
 7. A burner according to claim 6 wherein the ratio of the cross-sectional area of oxidizing fluid passage to the cross-sectional area of the fuel passage as measured at the inward end of each port is between 18 and
 37. 8. A burner according to claim 6 wherein the housing is made in fluidtight removable sections and the oil conduit includes an extended flexible section for ready replacement of the nozzle and oil ring. 